Protest erupts in Kirkuk over army's land acquisition for military camp

Shafaq News/ Hundreds of residents from the Topzawa village in southern Kirkuk staged a protest on Saturday against the Iraqi Army’s plan to establish a new military camp on their agricultural lands.

According to local reports, the demonstration was sparked by the Army's use of heavy machinery to clear approximately 190 dunams of farmland to expand an existing military installation. Villagers, many of whom are Kurdish and Turkmen, contend that the land is rightfully theirs and have accused the military of encroachment.

Sate'e Mahmood, a resident of the village, told Shafaq News Agency that the Army's actions are a breach of property rights. “Today, the military used bulldozers to build a new camp on the outskirts of our village, next to an old camp established years ago,” Mahmood said. “We possess Ottoman-era documents proving our ownership of this land, and we refuse to accept any expansion or construction on our agricultural properties.”

Another protester, Sherzad Jabbar, emphasized that the villagers are not seeking confrontation with the military but are calling for an end to what they describe as an illegal appropriation of their land. “We are not looking for conflict with the Army; we simply want them to stop the excavation and annexation of our lands,” Jabar said.

The Army has asserted that the land in question is under its jurisdiction, but the local community disputes this claim, citing historical ownership documents.

Topzawa has historical significance due to its association with the "Anfal" campaigns of the Baathist regime under Saddam Hussein. During these campaigns, many Kurdish civilians were forcibly removed from their homes and sent to desert areas as part of a broader strategy to suppress and alter the demographic composition of Kurdish-majority areas.